Best Italian Cheese Pie Recipes

ITALIAN SPINACH-COTTAGE CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch pie plate.
• Combine cottage cheese, spinach, mozzarella cheese, eggs, red peppers, Parmesan cheese, and oregano in a bowl. Pour into the prepared pie plate.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the center of the pie is set, 35 to 50 minutes.

ITALIAN RICOTTA CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and honey and mix well. Place in a 9 inch springform pan and spread evenly across the bottom. Refrigerate 30 minutes to chill.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a large electric mixer bowl, combine ricotta and eggs (beat in one at a time until incorporated). Add tablespoon of honey, vanilla and flour. Beat until smooth. Fold in lemon peel and almonds. Pour mixture into chilled crust and scatter pumpkin seeds on top.
• Bake for 1 hour or until just firm and lightly colored on top. Turn oven off, open door and leave pie inside to cool for 30 minutes.
• Remove pie from oven, refrigerate and chill for 2 hours to overnight before serving.

ITALIAN SPINACH CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch deep-dish pie plate.
• In a large bowl, stir together the spinach, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs and bell pepper. Spread in the prepared pie dish so that it is a little thinner in the middle.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the center is set, and the edges are lightly browned.

ITALIAN POT PIE WITH PARMESAN CHEESE CRUST

Steps:

• Pulse flour, parmesan, and salt in food processor to blend.
• Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Sprinkle 5 tablespoons of water over mixture.
• Pulse, adding the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if necessary, just until mixture is moistened and begins to hold together (dough should still be crumbly).
• Gather dough into a disk and cut in half. Shape into 2 disks.
• Wrap disks and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a 12" skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add sausage and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until browned.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a bowl.
• Discard excess drippings.
• Increase heat to high and add cook chicken 3 to 5 minutes, turning chicken occasionally and cook until lightly browned.
• Add onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until tender.
• Add tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil. Break up tomatoes with a spoon and reduce heat and simmer 7 to 8 minutes longer.
• Add sausage and cool.
• Heat oven to 375.
• Trim stems from chard and coarsely slice leaves and stems.
• Bring 1/2 cup water, chard stems, and leaves to boil in a large pot.
• Cover and cook 9 to 10 minutes until the stems are tender.
• Drain in colander and press out excess liquid with a spoon.
• Stir chard into cooled chicken-sausage mixture and divide mixture between 2 quart baking dishes.
• Divide and sprinkle 2 tablespoons parmesan over tops of filling.
• Roll each pastry disk so it extends 1" behind edge of baking dish.
• Place pastry on top of each disk and press pastry against the side of the disk to seal in the filling.
• Cut 2 slits in the center of each.
• Bake potpies 40 to 45 minutes or until tops are golden and filling is bubbly.
• If you decided not to bake your potpies and froze them instead, unwrap dishes and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
• Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake 45 minutes longer.
• Serve with cooked zucchini.

ITALIAN CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• In a very large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except crusts.
• Mix well, making sure that all ingredients are distributed through the ricotta mixture evenly.
• Spoon the ingredients equally into the pie crusts.
• For a more decorative look, apply strips of pie crust to the top of the pie in a basketweave pattern.
• Bake at 350 degrees until the top of the pie is a dark golden brown and the center is set, approximately 1 hour, 15 minutes.
• Allow pies to cool for about 45 minutes before slicing.
• Serve warm or cold.

DEEP-DISH ITALIAN CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F.
• Roll 1 pastry sheet into 16-inch circle on lightly floured surface. Press lightly onto bottom and up side of 9-inch springform pan sprayed with cooking spray, extending edge of pastry over top edge of pan.
• Mix 4 eggs and all remaining ingredients except peppers; spread half onto bottom of pastry crust. Top with peppers and remaining cheese mixture.
• Roll remaining pastry surface to 12-inch circle. Cut out 9-inch circle; place over filling. Pinch edges of pastry together to seal. Cut pastry trimmings into desired shape with small cookie cutter; arrange on top crust. Beat remaining egg; brush onto crust. Place pan on baking sheet.
• Bake 40 min. or until golden brown. Cool 30 min. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen crust; carefully remove rim.

THREE CHEESE ITALIAN RIGATONI PIE

Steps:

• 1. COOK RIGAYONI IN LSRGE POT OF BOILING SALTED WATER COOK 1 MIN LESS THAN DIRECTIONS SO THE PASTA CAN STILL STAND UP . DRAIN PASTA AND RUN UNDER COLD WATER
• 2. TOSS PASTA WITH ONE TABLESPOON OF OIL AND GRADED CHEESE..SET ASIDE
• 3. IN LARGE FRYING PAN BROWN MEAT IN 1 TABLESPOON OF OIL..POUR OFF FAT WHEN COOKED
• 4. ADD WATER AND PASTA SAUCE TO MEAT . BRING TO BOIL. THEN LOWER HEAT TO SIMMER AT LEAST 20 MIN, CHECK IF IT NEEDS A LITTLE MORE WATER
• 5. REMOVE FROM HEAT AND COOL FOR 10 MIN.
• 6. MIX RICOTTA CHEESE AND EGG . SET ASIDE
• 7. PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES
• 8. GREASE SPRINGFORM PAN
• 9. TAKE COOKED RIGATONI AND STAND EACH PIECE UP AROUND PAN . CONTINUE TILL PAN IS TIGHTLY PACKED
• 10. POUR CHEESE MIXTURE ON TOP AND SPREAD EVENLY
• 11. POUR MEAT MIXTURE ON TOP AND USE FINGERS TO MAKE SURE WHOLES ARE FILLED( PATIENCE WITH THIS IS BEST)
• 12. BAKE 15 MIN AT 400 DEGREES
• 13. REMOVE FROM OVEN AND TOP WITH MOZZARELLA CHEESE
• 14. BAKE 15 MORE MIN AT400 DEGREES
• 15. LET STAND 10 MIN THEN RUN KNIFE AROUND EDGE TO HELP REMOVE FROM PAN

ITALIAN CHEESE RUSTICA PIE

Steps:

• 1. Make Pie Crust as directed on box for two crust pie, using 9" pie plate. Move oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 375.
• 2. In a large bowl, slightly beat 3 eggs. Stir in ham, ricotta, mozzarella, provolone, 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano, and pepper. Spoon mixture into pie crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edges and flute. Cut slits in crust in several places. Brush beaten egg over top. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.
• 3. Place pan on lowest oven rack. Bake 50-60 min or until golden brown. Cover edge of crust with strips of foil after 15-20 min of baking to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 10 min before serving.

THREE CHEESE ITALIAN RIGATONI PIE

Steps:

• Cook the Rigatoni in a large pot of salted, boiling water. Make sure you use enough water because the rigatoni sucks up a lot. Cook it about 1 minute less than the package directions so it is still hard enough to stand up. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water.
• Toss pasta with 1 Tablespoon of oil to prevent it from sticking. Then add the parmesan cheese and toss until the cheese is evenly distributed. Set aside.
• In a large frying pan, brown the ground beef in 1 Tablespoon of oil. Drain away the fat once it's cooked.
• Add the jar of pasta sauce and water and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for at least 20 minutes. The longer you simmer the better. Just make sure you add more water if it all boils off.
• Remove from heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
• Mix together the container of cottage cheese and the egg. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grease a 9 inch sprinform pan.
• Take the cooked rigatoni and stand each piece up on its end in the pan. Continue until the whole pan is tightly packed.
• Pour the cottage cheese mixture over the rigatoni and spread evenly over all the noodles.
• Pour the meat mixture over top and spread evenly over the noodles. Use your finger to poke the meat and cheese mixture down into the noodles. The more patience you have with this step, the better it will be.
• Bake for 15 minutes at 400F.
• Remove from the oven and top with the mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for another 15 minutes at 400F.
• Let stand for 10 minutes then run a knife around the edge of the pan to help remove the springform pan.

ITALIAN CHEESE & HERB SPAGHETTI PIE

Steps:

• Season and brown beef with onion and garlic; drain grease. Combine w/ pasta sauce. Meanwhile, Boil pasta according to box until just tender. Drain and rinse. Return to pot.
• In a bowl, beat the 2 eggs and add to spaghetti, along with Parmesan cheese. Toss together and press into a 10 in pie pan (sprayed with cooking spray).
• Spread the Philadelphia cooking creme over the noodles.
• Spread the meat and sauce mixture over the cooking creme.
• Top with mozzarella cheese and cover with foil.
• Bake at 350 (f) for 20-25 min. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes to brown lightly.

ITALIAN CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Line a cake pan with saran wrap. Beat 1st 5 ingredients with mixer or mush with a fork. Stir in garlic, pepper, and oregano. Put 1/3 of cheese mixer into pan, then 1/3 of basil pesto, then another cheese layer, then sundried tomato, and then last of the cheese mixture on top. Freeze in freezer and take out about 2 hours before ready to serve.

ITALIAN CHEESE RUSTIC PIE

Steps:

• Prepare pie crust according to package directions for TWO-CRUST PIE using 9- inch pie pan. Place oven rack at lowest position. Heat oven to 375°F.In large bowl, slightly beat 3 eggs. Add ham, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano and pepper blend well. Spoon filling mixture into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust seal edges and flute. Cut slits in crust in several places. Brush beaten egg over crust. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375°F. on lowest oven rack for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden brown. Cover edge of crust with strips of foil after 15 to 20 minutes of baking if necessary to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Nutrition Per Serving: Calories 450 Protein 20g Carbohydrate 27g Fat 29g Sodium 860mgFrom "Pillsbury Best of the Bake-Off® Cookbook." Copyright 2004 General Mills. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.